When you think of tools, you may not think of something like an adhesive. Especially in today’s world of cordless everything, the flood of technology as well as new tools, something as useful and versatile as super glue, might be missed in the fray. While perusing Instagram one day, I came across a great maker using this product to fill in knot holes in wood. Now, CA or super glue has been used for this before, but this product seemed different. I reached out to Starbond to get a first-hand look at it and I am glad I did. Let’s find out what makes this product stand out in the Starbond Adhesive Review.
Starbond Adhesive Review Overview
So what exactly is CA glue? Well, CA stands for cyanoacrylate and it is chemically similar to super glue. When it is marketed as CA glue, it is generally used for industrial or professional purposes. While there are several slight variations in chemical and molecular structure, they all generally perform in the same fashion. There are formulas tailored for different trades, from woodworking to paleontology and dental labs. Even forensics and the medical field find a use for CA glue.
Not a lot of products can cover so many fields, but Starbond seems to have found the magic ingredient to do just that. Starbond began as a single man production in the 1980’s and quickly grew. The glue itself is manufactured in Japan by a company with even more experience. It is a family owned company that places a lot of value on quality. They produce in small batches to ensure freshness and actually provide a guarantee, something you don’t really see in adhesives like this. What is truly interesting about this company is how many formulas they offer. They have something meant to appeal to all kinds of different users. If you thought shopping for super glue ended at looking in the aisle at Home Depot and picking between the Gorilla Brand or Loctite, this system will blow your mind.
Starbond Adhesive Review Features
I received several products from Starbond for this review.
Instant Adhesive- Medium in clear (EM-150)
Instant Adhesive- Thick in clear (EM-2000)
Instant Adhesive- Medium in Brown (BR-150)
FLEX- Medium-Thick in Black (KBL-500)
Starbond Adhesive Accelerator 6 0z aerosol spray.
Each package of glue comes with instruction, two applicators caps, one clog free stopper, and 8 micro-tips. If stored in ideal conditions, Starbond warranties their glue for 20 months, ensuring you get maximum life out of your glue.
The Medium bodied glues are multi-purpose glues, meant for the bulk of the day to day tasks. With a viscosity of 150 cPs, and a bonding time of 10 to 20 seconds this glue comes in handy for virtually every application imaginable.
The Medium-Thick glues have a versatile use profile. From filling dark voids to hiding imperfections this glue is a woodworker’s best friend. The viscosity of the medium-thick falls at 500 cPs and bonds in 40 to 60 seconds.
The Thick bodied glues are ideal for heavy-duty bonding, as well as gap filling. The viscosity of the thick formula is 2000 cPs, and a bonding time of greater than 60 seconds.
The Accelerator comes in two options, an aerosol can as well as a pump sprayer. The benefits of the accelerator are the increased drying time for the glue. The accelerator itself is also designed to be different than similar products as it does not leave a white cast when applied correctly. You can also use this to prime difficult to bond materials for a better outcome.
Starbond Adhesive Review Performance
I’ve had a lot of opportunities to use this glue, and each time it excelled more than I thought possible. Here are a few of the ways I’ve used this glue to solve small repairs I wouldn’t have ever thought using a super glue for (but man do I wish I would have!).
I repaired a watch with the Thick Black CA glue. This may seem like a strange repair, but I gotta say he’s worn it daily since without a single issue. The micro-tips provided allowed such prevision placement of the glue, it didn’t bleed. He’s still able to rotate the band on the metal rod, which was what my original hesitation for doing a repair like this with glue was. Without a doubt, my husband’s favorite watch is as good as new.
Now, this is a doozy. When you buy a used house, you sort of are stuck with the former owners taste, and problems. Our home has these gorgeous shutters, but several were broken. The former owners did some pretty crazy repairs, think hot glue, a mess of wood glue and a whole lot of things that I just scratched my head at. The actual push rod is attached to the slats using a small formed piece of metal, sort of a triangle shape with one corner slightly opened. They are small and tedious to work with, to begin with, but can be purchased in a pack at a specialty store like Rockler. The Med-Thick is what I used on this because it allowed me a bit more time to work with ensuring it was secure, and the accelerator made it a breeze to set the glue when it was correctly positioned. I’ve tried a lot of different things to repair this, and this method was the first that actually held up, and was by far the easiest.
I posted a photo on our Instagram of a door I was making not too long ago. There were a few reasons why, but the stair parts were cut down and the frame was assembled prior to gluing the stair parts. While I had reasons for this, the Thick-Black glue allowed amazing control to fill the gaps, and the rods are more secure than anything else I have tried. I wish I had had this when installing the stair parts on the actual stair case. The accelerator made layering the glue simple too, as you could fully set the glue between layers.
I used the Thick Clear to repair a knob on my daughter’s dresser. If you have kids, you know there is virtually no way you will ever get them to be gentle on furniture, so seeing how easy this was to repair is a comfort. I’ve had to replace a few in the past which is frustrating because they aren’t cheap! Other products I tried didn’t hold up, and so far this one is doing well.
Finally, I had to try the idea of filling wood knots. I took photos of the wood before, after filling and sanding and then after a coat of stain to give you an idea of the finished look. I was truly impressed with just how well the product settled into the knots and more importantly how easily it sanded down after. The Thick Black is shown on the left, and the Medium Brown on the right. This has completely changed my mind forever on the way to fill holes in wood. I build with a lot of pine or common boards due to cost, but this method has me incredibly excited for future builds as traditional wood filler, no matter which brand or form you use is a pain to work with.
Starbond Adhesive Review Value
These products are all priced right in the range of similar brands. Some are a bit more, some a bit less. Given my interactions with the company, as well as their quality control process, I can’t see a downside. I will list the pricing for the sizes I received on Starbonds website.
Instant Adhesive- Medium in clear (EM-150) 2oz- $10.50
Instant Adhesive- Thick in clear (EM-2000) 2oz- $10.50
Instant Adhesive- Medium in Brown (BR-150) 2oz- $13.50
FLEX- Medium-Thick in Black (KBL-500) 2oz- $13.50
Starbond Adhesive Accelerator 6 0z aerosol spray 6 oz- $12.00
While you can find products on Amazon as well, the prices were slightly higher. Additionally, the Starbond Website has a lot of useful information if you are new to using adhesives like this.
Starbond Adhesive Review Final Thoughts
I think back to all of the tedious glue projects I have done in the past and really wished I had known about Starbond’s extensive lineup sooner. I didn’t have a single issue with the products, they provide excellent adhesion in a multitude of uses. Their pricing is competitive to the market and their unique formulas make them a sure bet. If you find yourself like me with odd repairs around the house, or work in a speciality field where CA glue is an essential, definitely check out Starbond Adhesives.
